Well, my external micro SD card solution mentioned above is still working fine. The only thing I've noticed is that most other photo related apps (other than the camera) can only use the internal storage. It's annoying, but I can deal with it, and it's only taking up a minuscule amount of internal storage.

I have noticed some other quirkiness with this phone, but it's a Sprint issue (if it's actually an issue at all). When I activated this phone on a new SIM it only has an IPv6 number associated with it -- no IPv4 number. This isn't a problem for most things, but I've noticed some issues. One of them is my home security cameras at my Florida house. I think Comcast (my Florida ISP) has rolled out IPv6, but I think they're still using dual stack so each customer has an IPv4 and IPv6 number. I made Comcast install their modem router in bridge mode so I could use my own router (theirs is too limiting for this retired network engineer), but I'm pretty sure that the router I'm using is not IPv6 aware (at least not on its current firmware). I have other routers in place that I can switch out for the main router that are IPv6 aware, so I think that will resolve that problem.

However, I've also noticed some IPv6 issues with Google (what? yes, Google). The Android Wear Google Weather app on my Asus Zenwatch 2 & 3 is only IPv4, because whenever I'm at home (in Virginia) and connected to wifi, the Android Wear Google Weather works fine (because I have an IPv4 number), but when I'm out and about and only using Sprint data on my phone, Android Wear Google Weather won't work and says it can't connect. Of course, there's no way to really report this to Google, so you just have to wait for the brain-fart to pass and for them to realize it. In the meantime, the workaround is to use the Asus Weather App, which actually has more information anyway, and also integrates nicely as a complication on the watch face.

Now, strangely enough, most other apps and services I use seem to have handled this IPv4/IPv6 transition better (than Google? Yes, Google). I use TeamViewer as a remote desktop app and it sees my home desktop (which is only on IPv4 via Verizon FIOS) just fine. Same thing with Plex (video streaming). So even though my host PC for both of these services only has an IPv4 number, somewhere in their service must be some sort of dual stack conversion going on that handles the problem. Unfortunately, it's up to me to correct the issue with my IP security cameras.

I talked to Sprint about this because I originally thought it was an issue with the SIM, but when I finally got to a high enough tech support person, they told me that all new Sprint activations were going to be solely IPv6. I argued that the rest of the internet really isn't quite ready to completely flip the IPv6 switch, but he nicely said that it was their problem. He supposedly switched my line back to IPv4, but whatever he did never worked. Regardless, he said it would only be for a few more months, because he said that Sprint was going through all the existing account and converting them over, so it was only a matter of time (months or even just weeks) until I was switched back to IPv6.

Sprint seems to be doing things differently with their SIMs now, specifically locking down their SIMs more on their network to minimize domestic roaming. Some of the settings I'm used to seeing under Cellular Networks are completely missing, specifically APN settings. Although APN settings are more of a GSM than CDMA thing, they are still useful for CDMA. I used to have issues with my Nexus 6 switching to a particular CDMA APN that would result in me only getting 3G and no MMS functionality. When I had access to the APN settings, I could switch it back to the normal Sprint LTE APN, but now I don't have that capability. Thankfully, I also haven't had my G5S+ switch itself into that 3G mode, but I'm a little worried about what I'm supposed to do if it does? Apparently when I'm global roaming only on GSM bands (like when I'm vacationing out of the country), the APN setting will show up in my menus. But as long as I'm in the US and getting a Sprint CDMA signal, the APN menu option will not show up.

So, in summary, the new phone is still doing great and I'm very happy with it. Sprint? Well...maybe not so happy, but time will tell. So far, I can't really complain, but then I haven't been out of the Fairfax, VA area with this phone yet. It will be interesting to see what happens when I'm back down at the Florida hacienda for Christmas vacation where the Sprint (actually all major carriers) signal isn't so great. It will be REALLY interesting to see what happens when I'm traveling outside of the US. It might mean getting a local PAYG SIM, but we'll see. It's not like Sprint Global Roaming is that great anyway (2G data, unlimited texting, and charge by the minute for phone calls). It might be better to go the PAYG SIM route when out of the country, especially to get faster data.

Well, I'm kinda disappointed. Apparently, Sprint caved to the whiners who couldn't do without Pokemon Go (which is apparently still refusing to convert their servers to IPv6) and specifically switched the Moto G5S Plus back to their IPv4 network. I had just gotten my Florida home network (Comcast/Xfinity ISP) and my security cameras on IPv6. Now, ironically, whenever I'm on the Sprint network at the Florida or Virginia houses, I'm on IPv4, but when I'm on my home wifi at either house, I'm on IPv6 (and IPv4). I managed to end up in the exact opposite situation of where I started. My goal was to be on IPv6 everywhere. Oh, well.

3rd-party development on this phone is starting to pick up quite a bit, although still nowhere near to the level my previous phone choices were by this time. There are several Oreo 8.0 and 8.1 ROMs now, including both 32-bit and 64-bit. Unfortunately, they don't seem all that stable and the devs aren't very experienced, so a lot of issues go unresolved. None of those have yet to come up with a good camera solution, which is the primary reason I haven't taken the leap to root and ROM yet. Apparently, the camera hardware in the G5S Plus is weird enough that the stock Android camera app (and therefore the Google Camera app) don't work in Oreo, and the Moto Camera app won't work on these 3rd-party ROMs. I use my phone camera too much, so that's a deal-breaker for me. I'm very unimpressed with the image quality coming out of 3rd-party camera apps on this phone like Open Camera, etc. I really wish I could get a nice PureNexus/Dirty Unicorns level of ROM (or at least an official LineageOS), but that doesn't seem to be happening.

So, it looks like I'm waiting for the OTA update. Frankly, I'm not too enthusiastic about it, mostly because Nougat 7.1.1 is working very well on this phone, including some pretty nifty customizations for a stock ROM. I highly suspect that at least the first Oreo OTA for this phone is going to lose all of those customizations, in addition to coming with the usual problems reported with Oreo so far. From what I've read about Oreo, it's a relatively unimpressive update.

I'm still on DU 11 (Android 7.1.2) rather than converting to stock and taking the Oreo updates. I'll wait for DU 12. I like that they don't rush to be the first ones out with a ROM and take the time to get it right. They were close to having DU 12 with Android 8.0, then Google released 8.1. Apparently the changes were non-trivial, so they had to rebase everything and almost start again. That's fine. It will come when it comes and I will know I'm getting something stable. In the meantime, I'm very happy with DU Android 7.

I was about to switch my Nexus 6 to DU 11 after PureNexus abruptly dropped the Nexus 6, but then I decided to go with LineageOS 14 instead (and then my Nexus 6 started acting wonky, necessitating me moving on to the G5S Plus). DU is a little heavy on the mods for my taste, but just because the mods are there doesn't mean you have to use them. But the main reason for deciding to go with LineageOS was because I've had problems with DU's kernel in the past causing my SIM to not be found, and I didn't want to mess with the whole thing of running a "4th-party" kernel on a 3rd-party ROM. I didn't always have that problem with DU's kernel, but it would kinda randomly rear it's ugly head with some updates. I even had it happen with a couple of PureNexus updates right in a row. I also suspected that LineageOS would be the first to offer a 32-bit version of Oreo for the Nexus 6, and I suspected (and still kinda do) that DU might end up dropping the Nexus 6 like PureNexus did. All that being said, I think DU is still quietly updating their v7.1.2 ROMs with security updates, even though they've moved their primary focus to Oreo development.

I always liked the DU & PureNexus dev teams. Great bunch of folks. Again, I only wish that DU would add the G5S/G5S Plus to their device list, but I don't think it's anywhere near the userbase of their other phones. Most of the ROM devs for the G5S/G5S Plus are noobie devs who can't really offer much support/troubleshooting for their ROMs, and most of the ROMs are relatively stock with very few features/mods. There's actually a couple of really popular ROMs out for this phone, but they're all unofficial builds (even LineageOS -- at least at this point). Definitely not what I'm used to in terms of 3rd-party development support, but it seems to be slowly improving. I'm just worried it'll never really take off before "everyone" eventually moves on to a future Moto G6, etc.

Well, I got tired of waiting for Motorola/Lenovo to release the Oreo update, but more importantly, I got tired of waiting for them to release security updates. I received a couple of security updates shortly after activating my G5s Plus on Sprint, but that was at the end of November and was the October security update and I haven't received anything since. Now the official Motorola support forums reps are claiming that my updates come from Sprint. Uh...hello? It's an unlocked (as in NOT carrier subsidized/branded) phone. At least in the USA, there isn't a carrier that sells a branded version of the G5s/G5s Plus. So, I decided it was time to unlock the bootloader, root, and ROM this sucker.

For the record, I stand corrected on Oreo. Numerous times in the past I've called it a relatively unimpressive update, but although that's still cosmetically true, performance wise...WOW. I've never had a phone boot that fast. I think it takes longer to boot to TWRP than it does the actual ROM. Battery life was very impressive, too. We all know how much time it takes to configure a new phone, and after flashing an Oreo 8.1 ROM and configuring everything, it was only down to like 86%, which is just crazy.

But now I'm depressed because I'm back to the stock Nougat 7.1.1 ROM. No surprise, my problem seems to be Sprint. When I flash any Oreo 8.1 ROM, it boots fine and I get a strong Sprint signal. However, if I change ANYTHING under cellular settings (or even just turn on Airplane mode), I lose the Sprint signal entirely and can't get it back unless I reset network settings. I can't even change it from the default "Global" to "LTE (recommended)" or I lose the signal. If I turn on Roaming...lose the signal. If I try to go into Carrier Settings, com.android.phone force-closes and I lose the signal. Needless to say, using one of these ROMs when traveling (even in country but especially internationally) just isn't an option because I'll never be able to change carriers or roam. I can't even use the hidden dialer menus (like *#*#DATA#*#*), because it does nothing when I enter that code.

I suspect my problem might be Gapp related. There currently are no official 8.1 Gapps -- only unofficial. I think the current dialer framework in these unofficial Gapps is messed up or at least not Sprint/CDMA compatible/compliant. But at least I'm now rooted, but it's annoying because one of the main reasons I did it was to get new security updates, and now that's not happening because I'm back on the stock ROM. I'm hoping this gets resolved with newer Gapps version and eventually an official version of Gapps rather than these questionable unofficial ones.

Unfortunately, I got a taste of the brand new 64-bit Google Camera. The Moto Camera 2 app is horrible with a ton of automatic post-processing (which can't be turned off) ruining the photos. This phone does a dual lens camera that only the Moto Camera 2 app can take advantage of, but it's only for a fancy depth/background blur mode which is basically useless for most people most of the time. But the new Google Camera takes awesome photos on this phone, so it obvious now that the "problem" with the camera on this phone is purely software -- not hardware. After reverting back to the stock ROM (but being rooted), I managed to find an older 32-bit Google Camera port that is basically identical to what I was using on my Nexus 6 (which was a 32-bit device), so at least I'm now getting photos as good as I was getting on my Nexus 6 (which was pretty darn good). Still, that newer Google Camera version...WOW. Basically zero HDR+ lag, whereas there's a little lag when using HDR+ on the older "Nexus 6" Google Camera.

I did just notice that an updated version of unofficial 8.1 Gapps was released today, so maybe they fixed the problem? We'll see. It's just great having a rooted phone again!

Since you are rooted, is Lineage available for your phone, because, at least for the TAB S they are still providing security updates for Android 7.1.2. Of course, I'm hoping this isn't famous last words since the 12 Feb update was still only patched to January, Fingers crossed for the new nightly which should drop soon.

The DU folks won't even deal with complaints about Sprint at this point, but clearly there's a problem and, yes, probably the Gapps. Sorry to hear.

Since you are rooted, is Lineage available for your phone, because, at least for the TAB S they are still providing security updates for Android 7.1.2. Of course, I'm hoping this isn't famous last words since the 12 Feb update was still only patched to January, Fingers crossed for the new nightly which should drop soon.

The DU folks won't even deal with complaints about Sprint at this point, but clearly there's a problem and, yes, probably the Gapps. Sorry to hear.

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Phew! New Lineage update for the Tab S out today has the Feb. security update.